The Different Cries Of A Baby And What They Mean

Decoding your babies’ different cries

Babies cry a lot, which can be distressing for new families trying to figure out what baby wants. You’ve tried everything — feeding, burping, changing — yet somehow nothing of those seems to stop their wailing sirens. While we wished they could converse in words, there’s a better way to understand what your baby is trying to communicate through their whines. If you listen closely, every cry is different, and we’re here to help you decode what each of them means.

1. When Baby’s Hungry

Listen for: It starts with a low-pitched, rhythmic cry, accompanied by a “neh” sound. It gradually builds up as your baby gets hungrier, whereby it becomes longer and louder with shorter pauses. You’ll notice other signs such as clenching fists, smacking their lips, putting their hands in their mouth, and turning their head towards anything that touches their face while opening their mouth.

What to do: Your baby’s hungry so it’s time to eat! Newborns usually feed every two to four hours.

2. When Baby’s Tired

Listen for: A breathy, nasal cry that sounds almost like an “owh” sound. If it builds up in intensity, followed by the classic tired signs such as yawns, eye rubs, or ear tugs, then your baby is most likely sleepy. Though, do rule out that it’s not a dirty diaper causing the sobs because a fussy baby’s cry is similar to that of a tired baby.

What to do: Put baby down to sleep. Keep in mind that newborns do require 14–17 hours of sleep per day.

3. When Baby’s Sick

Listen for: You’ll notice right away that something’s wrong with your baby for a sick cry won’t sound like your baby’s normal cries. They will sound like soft, low-pitched whimpers as if they’ve got no energy to pump up the volume. If pain is involved, the cry can be high-pitched.

What to do: Check whether baby is lethargic, has watery eyes, runny or blocked nose. If baby is showing discomfort or a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, better call the doctor right away.

4. When Baby’s In Pain

Listen for: Just like how we would yelp when we accidentally hit our toes against the door, babies do that too. They might suddenly shriek a single, long, and high-pitched cry — which might repeat as they continue to feel waves of pain. To find out what’s bothering them, see if baby would rub at the affected area.

What to do: Look for obvious causes of pain and check in with your baby’s doctor. It could be an infection, gas, or a blistering diaper rash.

5. When Baby Has Colic

Listen for: So your baby’s been fed, changed, and doesn’t wants to sleep. It may be colic, and you can confirm it by listening for painful cries that begin suddenly (usually around the same time of day) and continues for hours. Your baby might also stiffen their legs and arms, clench their fists and arch their backs.

What to do: Babies cry a lot but a colic baby cries even more. A healthy baby does that for an average of two hours per day while those with colic levels up to three hours per day. To get the gas out of the body, be sure to burp them after every feeding. You can also try switching formulas to determine if your baby has a cow’s milk protein allergy.